Galax, Virginia

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Coordinates: 36°39′53″N 80°55′13″W / 36.66472, -80.92028
Galax, Virginia
Galax, Virginia Location within the state of Virginia
Country	United States
State	Virginia
Area
- Total	8.2 sq mi (21.3 km²)
- Land	8.2 sq mi (21.3 km²)
- Water	0.0 sq mi (0.0 km²)
Elevation	2,372 ft (723 m)
Population (2000)
- Total	6,837
- Density	830.9/sq mi (320.8/km²)
Time zone	Eastern (EST) (UTC-5)
- Summer (DST)	EDT (UTC-4)
ZIP code	24333
Area code(s)	276
FIPS code	51-30208^[1]
GNIS feature ID	1483573^[2]

Historical marker at Galax

Galax (pronounced /ˈgeɪlæks/) is an independent city located in the southwestern part of the Commonwealth of Virginia. It is bounded to the northeast by Carroll County and to the southwest by Grayson County. The population was 6,837 at the 2000 census. The Bureau of Economic Analysis combines the city of Galax with neighboring Carroll county for statistical purposes.

1 Geography
2 Demographics
3 Culture
4 References
5 External links

[edit] Geography

Galax is located at 36°39′52″N, 80°55′12″W (36.664675, -80.920275)^[3].

The United States Census Bureau says the city has a total area of 8.2 square miles (21.3 km²), all of it land.

[edit] Demographics

Downtown Galax, Virginia

As of the census^[1] of 2000, there were 6,837 people, 2,950 households, and 1,843 families residing in the city. The population density was 830.9 people per square mile (320.8/km²). There were 3,217 housing units at an average density of 391.0/sq mi (150.9/km²). The racial makeup of the city was 86.11% White, 6.26% Black or African American, 0.45% Native American, 0.70% Asian, 0.01% Pacific Islander, 5.51% from other races, and 0.95% from two or more races. 11.07% of the population were Hispanic or Latino of any race.

There were 2,950 households out of which 27.6% had children under the living with them, 46.0% were married couples living together, 12.7% had a female householder with no husband present, and 37.5% were non-families. 34.2% of all households were made up of individuals and 14.9% had someone living alone who was 65 years of age or older. The average household size was 2.27 and the average family size was 2.90.

In the city the population was spread out with 23.0% under the , 7.9% from 18 to 24, 26.4% from 25 to 44, 23.5% from 45 to 64, and 19.2% who were 65 years of age or older. The median age was 40 years. For every 100 females there were 90.6 males. For every 100 females age 18 and over, there were 84.1 males.

The median income for a household in the city was $28,236, and the median income for a family was $36,832. Males had a median income of $24,013 versus $18,393 for females. The per capita income for the city was $17,447. About 13.6% of families and 18.6% of the population were below the poverty line, including 26.8% of those under age 18 and 21.4% of those age 65 or over.

[edit] Culture

Located in the Appalachian region of the United States, Galax has long been famous for its traditional, or "old-time" music and musicians. Although the entire Appalachian region is known for its music, the region around Mount Airy, North Carolina and Galax is one of the few areas of the United States where this music has remained strongest, even among young people. The Old Fiddler's Convention, one of the most prominent traditional music contests in the United States, has been held annually in Galax since 1935.[1] It has long attracted the best up-and-coming musicians in the bluegrass firmament. The Blue Ridge Music Center with its ampitheather and music museum of old-time music is just a few miles away on the Blue Ridge Parkway at Milepost 213.